The Mail Bag
New Owner needed?
Comments (65)
I wouldn?t fault the effort of the players today and I am proud of them for the effort they have put in all season. But... we are now hitting a glass ceiling and only a new owner will enable us to smash through that.
At least 4 players in that starting 11 today are simply not good enough and if they aren't replaced and more depth added to the bench then top 10 finishes and close shaves in cup comps will be the best we can hope for.
This week Sunderland and Portsmouth have been sold to billionaires. Also this week Kenwright has said there are no prospective buyers and no money in football. Is he telling the truth? Or is he holding on until a ground move is resolved before selling for more money, allowing investors to slip away in the meantime? If so, is that acceptable behavour?
I?ll say this right now; if Kenwright doesn?t sell the club then this season will be the best it gets for us, not the start of something better.
Gareth Hughes, Posted 30/05/2009 at 15:14:02
Comments
Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer
I think the tea lady had a big part in today’s defeat myself .
Class !
Why no rights issue? The current board haven?t put a single penny into the club and that's a real outrage in the current situation.
Shut the fuck up!
NSNO
This thread makes me 100 times more depressed than losing a cup final.
Football is now mired in a situation where there are 4 big teams and they just continue to get richer. I have followed football since 1968 and have never felt so depressed/ bored with top level football. It?s all so predictable. We have finished 5th for the last 2 seasons but that was really first as it will be impossible to break into the top league.
Not sure what the answer is but what you saw today was a clear case of the richer team winning easily and that has to be bad for the game.
In Germany last week we saw a team, Wolfsburg, winning the league for the first time ever. Don?t be convinced by Sky telling you our top league is the best in the world; it?s the richest and the most predictable, that?s all.
By the way; we set 2 records today; fastest goal and at 8 , the team that has lost the most finals.
There are other ways of raising money than simply selling the club but the current board seem unwilling to do anything. Thats not good enough. Fans seem quite happy to hold the manager to high standards but why not the board as well?
Next time.
We are prime contenders to move up to the next level, but others are getting the investment and not us. What really bothers me is that either Moysie, or the leading players, or both, will think they have gone as far as possible and, with no investment coming in, they will think the future lies elsewhere...
BK state he talke to people about sales or investmet & they do not come back with any offers!
Well BK how about a bit more honesty what are you asking for ??? How many millions to sell your beloved club or train set?
BK stated at the last EGM he would gladly step aside well how come this week Sunderland & portsmouth all get what we need?
It was clear today our Manager has taken us money wise as far as he can to compete with the best.
This post heading is so valid its scory as BK may sell when he takes to a cow shed in Kirkby then he may sell !
Too late IMO PLEASE SELL NOW BK
I’m proud that Everton are still owned and run by a home boy and haven’t ’sold their soul’ to an Arabian billionaire. When I look at the likes of Chelsea and Man City I am glad that there’s still some spirit at our club.
Having said that, I also think it’s about time we all woke up and realised that Division One is gone for good. It’s the Premier League now and money is the only route to success. We’ve probably gone as far as we can go with our limited budget and, as grateful as I am to Kenwright for that, we have to accept that if we truly want to win things then it’s time to call the Arabs.
The fans are what makes the club - not the owner. Sure, Man City and Chelsea may have (or had) their own problems, even with the investment, but it’s about getting all the pieces of the jigsaw in place. The piece we’re missing at the moment is cash, plain and simple.
The answer is no, he is a hero, a blue legend who deserves nothing but legend status... Let?s not chase financial backing of foreigners who dont understand what NIl Satis means... let us not forget what makes us different... let?s not forget what makes us better... let?s not forget what makes us EVERTONIANS.
You don?t go to a mate's wife's funeral and tell him "she was a good ride though" at the wake.
Point I was trying to make was... We?ve just been beaten in the FA Cup final, we?re all gutted.... so leave it for another day eh?
Bill Kenwright is not a legend. He?s a supporter like the rest of us. Luckily for him has been able to live the dream on the cheap. Being a true blue is, unfortunately, not enough. BK loves being chairman and you can be sure that, if he should ever find a buyer, he?ll still be hanging around in some capacity.
Graeme, I understand exactly what you mean. I don?t want Everton to be the plaything of a foreign billionaire. Therefore, today is probably as good as it gets.
As Bill says, if he finds the suitable investor that has the correct mindset, he?ll sell. These Arabs don't. They are looking to make money. Imagine if Abramovich just got bored and pulled out of, there are players on £120k a week and the club would end up like Leeds and fall down.
I hope we don't follow the trend, and also I'm more pleased with our achivements this season than if we just threw millions away.
Another thing about this season is, we've finished 5th and got to the FA Cup Final with a poor 3 months at the begining and with 3 key players injured. Also, a lot of players have been injured for parts of the season. If these hadn't happened, we could of been challenging for 3rd or higher.
But, come on lads. What a great season we?ve ended up with in the context of the poor start and late, late signings. Fifth place, the cup final and at last we?ve blooded the noses of the top four taking points off them.
I?m going to remember this season fondly. I?ll remember Captain Pip?s ?reducer? on Ronaldo. I?ll remember Shandy?s day in the sun... his cross for Dan Gosling to get the winner against the Reds and then starting a fight on Reina. I?ll remember Jags stepping up against United to put us in the final. From today I?m going to know that Saha has got one hot left foot (may he be fit for next season please).
We don?t have a hugely rich owner, but we have a hugely talented manager. We?ve a much better club than the likes of Sunderland and Pompey and there is much to look forward to. We?ve some really good players this season we saw the birth of Gosling, Rodwell and Baxter, the coming of age of Fellaini. We?ve seen that we can still win without Arteta and the mighty Yak.
So come on, lads... heads up ? we are on a good thing. I?d much rather have the season we?ve had than the one Man City, Sunderland and Pompey have had with billionaire owners!!
Hibbert - Has progressed a lot this season, with his distribution better than before but he got horribly exposed today and got took off before he was sent off, not for the first time. His position is one which needs strengthening in the Summer.
Osman - We should grateful for his goals at Macclesfield and Fulham. But is too ineffectual and has too many games where he doesn’t contribute attacking or defensively. Again a position which needs strengthening in the Summer.
Howard - Great clean sheets record and best goalie we’ve had since Southall. But he needs to work at his feet movement when saving longer range shots. He’s been caught out a few times on shots from outside the box or so it seems from memory.
Hopefully, whoever the owner, we’ll have the money available in the Summer to get what’s needed.
Ok granted that was the reasons including Davey Moyes not signing his contract and the late transfers which id put down to Wyness. With Robert Elstone as CEO i believe that we will move forward in transfers as shown with the Kitbag deal, he knows what he is doing.
I also meant that without a dip in form and INJURIES TO KEY PLAYERS we could of been challenging for a higher league finish.
I believe he is hiding behind this credit crunch issue as a reason why he cannot get any buyers; I think it's just that he loves talking superlatives to his lovies down the West End about the romance of Everton Football Club.
Get real soft lad, our team is the 5th most profitable club in the Prem this season but we will spend less than everyone who finshed 6-10th this season. Why? No accountant could explain it! Can someone please explain that to me please because I'm stupid and sick of Blood Brother re-runs.
The way I see it, there are sensitive topics that some people want to discuss now... who has the right to deny that? Turns out it?s down to me... and once I make the decision, I usually stick with it. If you don?t like the topic, it?s very simple: don?t participate.
What I have little tolerance for is people like you coming on and deciding for others what they can or can?t talk about on here. If it?s tomorrow for you, then fine... hopefully the thread will still be open tomorrow and then you can do something a little more constructive than merely snipping.
Calling the chairmans honesty into question seems like sniping to me as does your own ......"Bill has been telling porkies all his Everton life"............So do me a favour and drop the la de da "what I have little patience for" routine and accept that there are those of us who, while accepting the fact that we need new investment etc etc also accept that Bill Kenwright is a human being with human frailties and has undoubtedly (IMHO) got Everton’s best interest at heart. If he has some of his own interest at heart also, then I for one can accpet that. Who in their right mind expects to put body and soul into a project and not get something out of it?
..and just to qualify my initial post. Let’s say it was merely an expression of (choose any number of negative emotions due to todays events) and not me "deciding for others what etc etc etc.....that’s YOUR call!
Hibbert and Osman however don?t look good enough because the team has improved a few notches and they have not. They should be second choices at best now.
We have good young players and I would hope to see more of them next season.
I thought our Manager got it a bit wrong today though. I like Jacobsen and can?t understand why he is not our automatic choice for right back I think that decision cost us the first half and first goal.
Anyway I do not think we can?t improve because a number of good players are not yet in their prime. Any old rich nutcase is not the answer and if we are sold I will be very worried about who it is. We will naturally attract more players when Rodwell is England Captain.
We all want it now but you do eventually have to pay off the credit card.
The fact that he has Mr Perpetual Slow-motion in front of him doesn?t help either. I didn?t even realise Osman was playing until about 20 minutes into the game. As usual, he was totally out of it today and contributed sweet f-a. Unfortunately this has been a recurring theme for our Leon for far too long. Which is a great pity, because he has been one of my favourite players in the past. Both Osman and Hibbert have definitely gone backwards this season, and I?m not sure if they?ll be around for the next one. I think if you compare our left to the right side, you can see Baines and Pienaar are a partnership and attack and defend as a unit, whereas Ossie and Hibbert don?t. Osman certainly doesn?t help Hibbert out as much as he should when tracking back.
If Moyes doesn?t address this problem and inject some pace and creativity into the team, then he?s as much to blame as anyone. I mean, it?s not exactly a new issue. It?s one we?ve had for a while now under him.
Regarding ownership, we probably don?t need billions to make us competitive, just a few quality players to compliment the good ones we already have. And some better luck with injuries. Ironically, I think the more successful Moyes is, the more couches Billy has to ransack to support him, for fear of him leaving if he feels he?s not being backed.
On the plus side, surely this coming transfer window can?t be as bad as the last, and surely we won?t start off the new season as poorly as we did this one.
So there, something to look forward to!
As to investment, yes, we need it and no, Bill can?t and the other directors either won?t or can?t, I actually think that they could, but not in any meaningful amounts as to make a real difference.
Three things need funding, 1) the debt, 2) new players AND wages to pay them, 3) ground issue. They could, maybe, see off the first 2 but not all three and in this case half a loaf is not better then none. All or nothing somewhere between £400-500 mill is reqd...as someone said millionaires bringing a knife to a billionaires gunfight.
In my part of the world it is now a brisk blue skyed winters morning. But we aren?t IN mourning, It isn?t a funeral as somebody said, nobody died, It?s a new day. Yesterday was about GLORY, or in our case, nearly... and what a day it was, we wouldn?t have swopped it for the world, but...
The better team won on the day. If you can?t face that, tough.
It isn?t ? disrespectful ? to talk about failing and not talking about it won?t make it go away, not talking about ?A? or ?B? being crap or as is said now, not fit for purpose.
THAT'S CALLED DENIAL.
First of all, even if we had won today...we would STILL need investment.
Had we won, would this thread have been started? I doubt it! And it?s no surprise that MK would both allow and encourage it.
I agree that at least two players were pretty dire out there today (not sure who the four are you?re referring to) but definitely Hibbert and Osman were lacking today.
Putting Gosling out was a bit desperate too me thinks. Why didn?t Rodwell play?
I happen to think that a full-strength team would have faired much better today so today we didn?t require the money... we just required a full strength squad!
It is no secret we don?t have money and, let's be fucking fair, JUST because two teams have just been purchased by the mega-rich ? who?s to say they were even interested in EFC? Maybe the guy who got Sunderland actually likes Sunderland for fucks sake! I mean I don?t know if he does but to assume that other clubs being purchased means we appear to be losing out somehow is just ridiculous!
Today has been a rollercoaster for everyone with highs and lows and I?m physically and mentally drained. I have been to my first final today and it was great and horrible at the same time, so there are a lot of blues like me who really don?t want to talk about this subject right now.
Yesterday was a good solid cup match. Now we played without Yak, Arteta and Jak. Our right side was the weak link so nothing new there. Take Drogba, Lampard and Terry out of Chelsea. Thats what happened to us but what I loved was no moaning, heads down and get on with the job. If Chelsea had have lost those 3 players could you imagine the excuses, the crying and the blame game? We did well this year, if we get those 3 back healthy and have a luckier year with injuries next year things will be a lot better. Osman, I?m not saying must go but he can not be a starter anymore unless a game against a weak league or cup team. Same with Hibb. Solid right side and the boys back we are very capable.
Kenerick, I think you do a hell of a job on the site which I?m sure trolling through all this shite must make for some bloody long days. Do not agree with you most of the time as I?m sure you do not with me!! However the great thing about it is opinions are like assholes, everyones got one!!
Hibbert was found out today... Malouda has had a great last three months under Hiddink and they realised Hibbo was a weakness ... although Osman didn’t do much to help him.
If we can get the Fab 3 back to full fitness and add Moutinho and one or two others we will knock on the door of the top 5 again ... but Spurs, Villa and Man City will no doubt beat us to every player we go for ... just a question of money of course.
A new owner?? I agree that it’s weird that clubs like Portsmouth and Sunderland (even QPR) can find sugar daddies ... but not us.
Nevermind - let’s revel in a great season and get the lads fit and ready for as good a time next year ... ie. Europa League qualification and a trip to Wembley!
Well played Davie and the lads.
Oh and before I forget Billy Bullshit did, as also predicted by Mr Marsh, also have a full page spread in one of the national newspapers.
What the usual suspects are crying out for with their so predictable knee-jerk reactions to every setback, is for Everton to lose its uniqueness and just become a plaything for a Arab/US/Russian billionaire with no links or understanding of the heritage of the club.
Bill Kenwright is probably the most admired and liked Chairman in the land. Even by supporters of those Sky 4 clubs must look at their own dubious set-ups and wonder how long before their rich owners want out and pull the financial plug.
My ideal scenario would be for a wealthy UK resident ? not Mike Ashley! ? to come in, not necessarily with mega bucks in Sky4 club terms, but enough to bring in more quality players to bulk out the squad, develop Goodison into a 45.000 modern ground, and push on in terms of success.
The promised land of silverware is not far away actually. It?s interesting to think where we would be if the Tony Marshes of this world ran the club. We would certainly be on about our 4th manager in the last 7 years, financially ruined and possibly playing in the Championship. Still... what?s a little knee-jerkism between friends!
Some moan about investment but look at our new training facilities, which now allow us to attract some of the top youngsters from around Europe. Moyes was given £15 million to spend on one player last season. Before that he was given £11 million for Yak, £8 mill for Johnson, £6mill for Beattie. Moyes has had money to spend, okay not in the realms of City but how far did Robinho and Co get them this season? Where are Tottenham for all their money they had to spend?
Last summer was a major fuck up with the way the transfers were done and I think a lot was to do with that fat twat Wyness. This year Moyes is not making anywhere near the same noises about how frustrated he is about lack of funds. I expect Moyes will be backed modestly in the transfer market which will allow us to keep making the progress we have done under his stewardship.
Thats just my opinion,just putting my support forward for our chaiman but to me ,he feels the emotion as much as anyone and is a great ambassador for our club,he shows what it means to be a blue.
We lose a cup final (our first for 14 years) to a team who have been bankrolled to the tune of £750m. A team that, incidently, we’d already frawn twice with & had the better of both games.
Jonathan Tasker - great article Jonathan (& others akin). You are raising the issue that are worth dicsussing. It isn’t Everton’s chairman at fault for our dreadful season coming only 5th and losing a cup final after beating 3 of the top 5 (as was).
Gerry Dignan - Mr Kenwright mortgaged his house to werestle control of Everton from Peter Johnson (remember him?). There was a queue of 1 at the time. Did you know that nobody at Arsenal puts their own money into the club, or Barcelona, or Man Utd. Why should Bill Kenwright put his own money into Everton to buy players? WHy shouln’t the club operate as a business, which it is?
Tedious, predictable, boring posts just hours after our biggest game in 14 years. Had hoped most Evertonians would be reflecting on the excellent finish to a difficult season and musing on what could be next season with a little luck on the injury front and 1 or 2 additions.
Statistically our best season overall for 20 years. And still the whining comes. Oh dear.
I await the usual follow-up digs from the usual suspects any moment. I’m off down the lido with the kids to reflect on a great season that achieved much more than I expected.
We lost the final (deservedly) but things are good.
Bill Kenwright is a legend who loves the club, if the right person with the right money is out there he will pass over the reigns.
If that person/persons are not out there then he will do everything and anything he can to give Davie as much finance as is humanly possible for him to give.
Thanks for an amazing season, it’s just unfortunate that not all stories have a happy ending, I can’t wait to start a new chapter come August.
For all his theatrical hyberbole, I refuse to believe that Kenwright is an out and out mercenary and I do believe that he will sell up when the right buyer, with the club at heart, turns up. It hasn?t happened yet and what might or might not happen at Portsmouth or Sunderland, where the investors intentions may actually be purely profit or "toything" motivated, is quite frankly irrelevant.
However, nobody can deny that we need money to move forward. I can?t see us cracking the top four without major player investment. I have no answers but it doesn?t want me to make BK a scapegoat either.
Frankly, this situation makes me more depressed than the Cup Final defeat.
Portsmouth was in a predicament, £25 million or so owing, so perhaps could be less fussy. I?m not sure about Sunderland but Ellis Short seems to have been around them for more than a year and probably is hooked on football played against his team.
The main problem with other clubs having v rich backers is that the few players that we could afford wages for will increasingly be priced out of the market, at least for us. It would be a concern if the likes of Lescott, Pienaar might be attracted away in the summer.
I?m not so sure there are buyers out there that will take on our debts plus help us finance the stadium. In my opinion, we have improved this season and nxt season we will have a better chance for the forth spot even without an investor. With three good players to come back in then we will still be a strong force to contend with. The youngsters will be getting better too, so it's not all doom and gloom, and no doubt a buyer will come soon having seen us get to a Cup Final and consistently top five, no real need to worry, in my opinion of course.
We follow a proper, traditional football club and whether we go to Kirkby or stay at Goodison, I just pray that it stays under Evertonian ownership forever!
As for billionaire owners at Portsmouth wasn't the last owner super rich and going to invest millions into the club? The one who has just sold it. I would love us to get a rich owner somebody like Lerner at Aston Villa would be fantastic but there are not many of them about. Kenwright for all his failings loves Everton and will do what's right for the club not just himself.
Kenwright for Ever, I say!
Keep you cool by all means but wake up and smell the coffee.
Admitedly, I wasn?t around in the old glory days ? but there too weren?t many clubs with billionaire owners (apart from Everton!) when we were winning trophies for fun!
There?s nothing wrong with ambition but there?s one thing that I agree with you on, any investor has to have the club at heart and that?s why I refuse to condemn BK quite so quickly as others.
Exposed as a fraud again ;)
Also if you have evidence of BK turning down a great offer for EFC publish it. Otherwise hang your heads in shame, the day after the FA Cup. Surely there are other topics to discuss.
I just want to say a big thank you to BK and DM for giving me the best 18 months as an evertonian since the HK days even the semi's was Moyes's Bayern Munich.
Second point: Bill the Liar. Does this even need discussing? The man is a pathological liar. He has lied to the Everton faithful throughout his tenure. Almost every time he opens his mouth, some total bulshit is spouted. That?s the way he is... I don?t believe he even knows he?s doing it. But a Cup Final does not change that. Cup Final or no Cup Final, the man just keeps telling porkies. Why is it treacherous to repeat what most of us know to be true?
I can?t speak for you lot of total unrealists who stick your head firmly in the sand over this issue. He is a liar, end of. Doesn?t mean I don?t like him though... and doesn?t mean I want him to sell our ?sole? [sic] to some foreign investor.
Yes, that?s the next point. You seem to love jumping to conclusions, reading what has not been written. The point is that Bill Kenwright himself has said he has been looking for investment "24/7" ... and has been unable to find any. Yet there is also documentary evidence saying him and his fellow directors have no intention of selling their shares in Everton FC. Do tell us how do you go about rationalizing those seemingly contractory positions?
Who on earth said anything about BK turning down a great offer for EFC??? Fact is we have published rumours of such claims, even first-hand reports... ages ago. They may even be true... but no-one gives much credence to them because they cannot bve corroborated and most, like you, have forgotten them.
Life goes on, Gary, the day before, the day of, the day after the Cup Final. Get used to it. If you need to live cooped up inside some cocoon, that?s your concern, not mine. Plenty of others have been keen enough to discuss such topics. If you don?t want to, then why even stick your head up???
-sm.jpg)
-sm.jpg)
-sm.jpg)
